Machiavelli, Volume I eBook

thy side, nor any thing else to defend or receive thee.
For he that overcomes, will not have any suspected
friends that give him no assistance in his necessity:
and he that loses, receives thee not, because thou
wouldest not with thy armes in hand run the hazzard
of his fortune. Antiochus passed into Greece,
thereunto induc’d by the Etolians, to chace
the Romans thence: and sent his Ambassadors to
the Achayans, who were the Romans friends, to perswade
them to stand neuters; on the other side the Romans
moved them to joyne armes with theirs: this matter
came to be deliberated on in the council of the Achayans,
where Antiochus his Ambassador encouraged them to stand
neuters, whereunto the Romans Ambassador answerd; Touching
the course, that is commended to you, as best and
profitablest for your State, to wit, not to intermeddle
in the war between us, nothing can be more against
you: because, not taking either part, you shall
remain without thanks, and without reputation a prey
to the conqueror. And it will alwaies come to
pass that he who is not thy friend, will requite thy
neutrality; and he that is thy friend, will urge thee
to discover thy self by taking arms for him:
and evil advised Princes; to avoyd the present dangers,
folow often times that way of neutrality, and most
commonly go to ruine: but when a Prince discovers
himself strongly in favor of a party; if he to whom
thou cleavest, overcomes; however that he be puissant,
and thou remainest at his disposing, he is oblig’d
to thee, and there is a contract of friendship made;
and men are never so openly dishonest, as with such
a notorious example of dishonesty to oppress thee.
Besides victories are never so prosperous, that the
conqueror is like neglect all respects, and especially
of justice. But if he to whom thou stickst, loses,
thou art received by him; and, while he is able, he
aydes thee, and so thou becomest partner of a fortune
that may arise again; the second case, when they that
enter into the lists together, are of such quality,
that thou needest not fear him that vanquisheth, so
much the more is it discretion in thee to stick to
him; for thou goest to ruine one with his assistance,
who ought to do the best he could to save him, if
he were well advised; and he overcomming, is left
at thy discretion; and it is unpossible but with thy
ayd he must overcome. And here it is to be noted,
that a Prince should be well aware never to joyn with
any one more powerfull than himself, to offend another,
unless upon necessity, as formerly is said. For
when he overcomes, thou art left at his discretion,
and Princes ought avoid as much as they are able,
to stand at anothers discretion. The Venetians
took part with France against the Duke of Milan, and
yet could have avoided that partaking, from which
proceeded their ruine. But when it cannot be
avoyded, as it befel the Florentines when the Pope
and the King of Spain went both with their armies
to Lombardy, there the Prince ought to side with them